Car roof



July 19, 1932. CQ D. BoNsALL CAR ROOF Filed Feb. 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet` l July i9, 1932. Q D, BONSALL 1,868,134

CAR ROOFI Filed Feb. 26. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ofi-FICE CHARLES DAVID' BONSALL, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVNIA, SSIGNOR P. H. MURPHY COMPANY, F NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA,. A` CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA CAR ROOF Application rled February `26, 1931. Serial No. 518,431.

This invention relates to the general type of roof wherein the sheets or portions thereof alternate at different levels. Heretofore, the seams of roofs of this type have `usually consisted of the marginal portions of adjacent sheets riveted together flatwise without any reinforcement therefor, and with the rivets extending inside of the car. The principal objects of the present invention are to reinforce and strengthen the seam construction and to adapt it by its structure and position to increase the strength and load carrying capacity of the roof, also to avoid having the rivets extend from the outside l5 to the inside of the car; and also to avoid increasing the over-all depth or thickness of.l the roof. The invention consists in the parts'` and arrangements and'combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.` In Athe accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to likelparts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of aportion of a car roof embodying my invention,`

through one-half of said roof on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal cross-.section through said roof on the line 3 3 in BU Fig. 1, Y i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-section through one of the inside roof seams,

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse cross-section through the eaves portion of the car on the 5 line 5-5 in F ig. 1,

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are' vertical longitudinal cross-sections similar to Fig.` 3, showing roofs of modified form; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical cross'fsection through one of the outside seams shown in Fig. 8. A

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, to 5, inclusive, the roof is made up of a series of similar roof sheets odset vertically at or 5 adjacent to the medialline so as to form an upper panel 1 with a downturned flange 2 along its side margin anda lower panel 3 with an upturned flange 4 along its side margins, the two panels being connected to- D gether by an upstanding web` 5. Near the Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse cross-section eaves ofthe car, the height of the web decreases till the two panels merge into :acommon plane at the side plates` 24 of the car,

over which they are turned down and se? cured thereto. The sheets are so arranged that the downturned ianges of adjacent. sheets abut and the upturned flanges of ad-A jacent sheets abut, this arrangement being eected byreversing the position of alternate sheets.

The upstanding flanges `4 of adjacent sheets are covered by a rebent orl U-shaped cap 6 whose lower margins are preferably provided with flanges 7 that rest on the body portions ofthe lower panels of ad'acent sheets; and the caps and the sheet anges straddled thereby are rigidly clamped together by rivets 8 that extend through them horizontally. It is noted that the rivets are wholly outside of the car so thatthey are readily accessible and easy. to drive. The vseam cap is preferably of heavier gage metal than the roof sheets and may be made deep-y est at the ridge and tapering toward the eaves. It is `also noted as an advantage of this design that the caps on top of the roof extend upwardly from the level ofthe lower` panels andneed extend very little or not vat all above the upper level. i

The downturned flanges 2 of adjacent sheets .are straddled by a rebent or inverted Y against the undersides ofthe upper panels of i adjacent 4'sheet-s. ,i The inside seam cap andthe downturned sheet `flanges are clamped togetherbyhorizontal rivets `11 `.which are' wholly inside the car,'where they are readily accessible and'easyto" drive. The' exposed:`v

crack or crevice `between adjacent sheets is effectively closed by asuitable-filler 12 such as bituminous paint. The inside seamca'ps 9 operate in the same mannerY as the outside seam caps 6 and are preferably made of thicker material than the sheetsand preferably taper from a maximum depthat the ridge to-` wards theeaves. .However, it is an advantage of the design that the yinside seam caps need extend very little or not at all below the lower level of the roof sheets.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 each roof sheet has a single offset. In the design of Fig. 6 each sheet has two vertical offsets, that is panels 1, 3, 13 at three levelsl of the upper panels 1, however, are not flanged but simply lap each other and are reinforced by a channel-shaped member 14 with lateral flanges 15, one of said flanges being below the lapped portions of the sheets and ,secured thereto by a'row of vertical rivets 16k andthe other flange being secured kto the underside of the overlying sheets by a row of rivets 17. Preferably, the bottom of this channel-shaped member projects very little or not at all below the level of the lower panels.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. .8k

a .hollow seam reinforcing member 14 like that of Fig. 7 Vis used under the seam that joins the upper vpanels of adjacent sheets; and a similar but inverted hollow reinforcing I nember 18 is used to reinforce the seam that joins the lower panels. Preferably, the marf ginal portions 19 of the lower panels are olfset slightlyupwardly to aord better protection of .the seam. against leakage and to provide for drainage and strengthen the joint; and accordingly the adjacent .side of the hollow channel member is narrower than the other side thereof. In this seamV construction, `the inverted channel-shaped meni-v ber 18 is secured by one row ofirivets 2O that extend vertically through the lappedmargins of the roof sheets. and the flange of the narrower side of the channel-.shaped member, and

. by a second row of rivets 21 which extend ver tically through the flange on the, deeper .side ofthe channel-shaped'member and the underlying roof sheet. Y Y

In the construction of Fig. l8 :as in the .other iconstructions, the 'hollow channel-shaped member 14 that reinforces the seam atthe upper level is on the inside ofthe car; and the inverted channel-shaped member 18 that reinforces the seam at the lower level is rabove and outside of the car, both reinforcing members being mainly or entirely within the space between the upper and lower levels of the roof sheets. Considering 4the roof as a series of hollow ribs alternating with a series of channels, t'he seams, of whatever construction, are

on the undersides of the ribs and on the upper sides of the channels, respectively, .and add little or nothing tothe vertical dimensions of the roof. Y

It is a great merit of the roof above described that all the metal in the 'roof sheets participates in taking care of the lead after the manner of action of a beam supported by' the side plates, and at the same time the seam caps both reinforce the seams and relieve the sheets of a large part of the stresses which they would otherwise have to assume. By reason of the seam caps being located mainly between the upper and lower levels of the roof, they do not materially increase the vertical thickness of the roof and avoid subjecting any portion of the structure to excessive stress.

What I'claim is:

l. A lcar roof comprising roof sheets that are offset vertical-ly lengthwise and are provided with an upstanding flange along the` lower side and a downturned flange along the upper side, the vdownturned flanges of adjacent sheets being Vsecured together datwise and the upstanding flanges of adjacent sheets being secured together flatwise.

2. A car roof comprising roof sheets that' are :olfset vertically near their longitudinal medial lines and are yprovided with an up,-

standing flange along the lower side vand aV downturned flange along the upper side, the Y downturned flanges of adjacent sheets be-V ing secured together flatwise and the `up-.

standing flanges of adjacent sheets being secured together flatwise.

3. A car roof comprising roof sheets that are offset vertically lengthwiserinto upper, lower and intermediate panels and are provided with an upstanding flange along the lower panel and a downturned flange along the upper panel, the downturned flanges of.

adjacent sheets being secured together flatv wise .and the upstanding flanges of adjacent sheets being secured together flatwise.

4. A car roof` comprising roof sheets thatl` are offset vertically along longitudinal lines Y and are :providedgwith an upstanding flange along the, lower side and a downturned flangev along the upper side, j the downturnedV flanges ofadjacent sheets abutting llatwise and-the Yupstanding flanges of adjacent sheets abutting flatwise `and' seam caps -straddling abutting llang'es and rigidly secured thereto. 5.- A car roof'comprising roof sheets thatV are offset vertically near their longitudinal medial lines and 'are provided withan upstandin-g flange along the lower side and aV downturned flange along the upper side, the downturned flanges ofadjacent sheets abutting flatwise and the ups'tanding flanges ofk adjacent sheets abutting llatwise and seam caps straddling abutting flanges Iand rigidly secured thereto. Y

6. A .car roof comprising roof sheets that are offset vertically near their longitudinal medial lines and are provided with an upstanding ilange along the lower side and a downturned flange along the upper side, the downturned flanges of adjacent sheets abutting flatwise and the upstanding llanges oi" ing longitudinal portions at dierent levels with the margins of the higher portions of adjacent sheets overlapping, and channelshaped members secured to the underside of the overlapping sheet and underlapping the lapped portion of the underlapping sheet, and the lower portions of adjacent sheets being rigidly securedtogether. p

9. A car roof comprising roof sheets having portions at diilerent levels, with the inargins of the higher portions of adjacent sheets rigidly secured together, and the lower portions of adjacent sheets having their marginal portions raised and lapped, and an inverted channel-shaped member secured to the body portion of one of said sheets and having a flange resting on and secured to the lapped portions of said sheets.

l0. A car roof comprising roof sheets having longitudinal portions at different levels with the margins of the higher portions of adjacent sheets overlapping, and channelshaped members secured to the underside of the overlapping sheet and underlapping the lapped portion of the underlapping sheet, and the lower portions of adjacent sheets having their marginal portions raised and lapped, and an inverted channel-shaped member above and secured to the body portion of one of said sheets andE having a flange resting on and secured to the lapped portions of' said sheets.

1l. A car roof comprising roof sheets rigidly secured together along their side inargins by rigid seams, the construction of some of said seams comprising marginal portions of adjacent sheets raised and lapped, and a channel-shaped member secured to the body portion of one of said sheets and having a flange resting against and secured to the lapped portions of said sheets.

12. A car roof comprising roof sheets that are ollset vertically lengthwise and are provided with an upstanding seam flange along the lower side and` a downturned flange along the upper side, the upstanding llanges of adjacentsheets being connected together and the downturned flanges of adjacent sheets being connectedV together.

13. A car roof comprising roof sheets that are offset vertically lengthwise and are provided with an upstanding seam llange along the lower side and a downturned flange along the upper side, said sheets being so arranged that the `iipstanding flanges of adjacent sheets yare adjacent to each other and the downturned flanges of adjacent sheets areV adjacent to each other, and seam caps straddling the flanges of adjacent sheets.

14:. A car roof having alternating ribs and channels formed therein, said roof consisting of roof sheets Vthat are 'connected along their adjacent side margins by vertical seams located 'on the undersides of the ribs near the middle and on the upper sides of the channels, near the middle respectively. Y

15. A car roof having alternating ribs and channels formed therein, said roof consisting of roof sheets that are rigidly connected together along their adjacent side margins by vertical seams located intermediate the sides of ,said Vribs and channels, respectively, and on the undersides of the ribs and on the upper sides of the channels, respectively.

16. A car roof having alternating ribs and channels formedtherein extending crosswise of the car, said roof consisting of roof sheets thatare connected .along their adjacent margins by vertical seams located on the undersides of the ribs and on the upper sides of the channels, respectively, said seams being mainly within the planes of the tops of said ribs and the bottoms of said channels.

17. A car roof comprising a series of similar roof sheets oil'set vertically lengthwise to form an upper panel along one side margin of a sheet and a lower panel along the other side margin thereof, said sheets being so arranged that the upper panels of adjacent sheets are adjacent to each other and the l 19. A car roof having alternating ribs and I channels formed therein extending crosswise of the car, said roof consisting of rootl sheets connected along their adjacent margins and j alternating inside and outside carlines secured to the undersides of said ribs and to the upper sides of said: channels, respectively,'said carlines being mainly within the planes of the tops of said ribs and the bottoms y of said channels.

5 20. A car roof comprising roof sheets rconnected together along their adjacent mar gins, and carlines secured to said sheets, some of said carlines being located outside of said v roof and other of said carlines being located inside of said roof.

2l. A car roof comprising roof sheets rigidly secured together along their adjacent' margins, said roof having hollow ribsl orm- `ing upper panels alternating with channels forming lower panels, the distance .between such upper and lower panels being such that the roof will act as a beam, and means extending lengthwise of the upper panels Jfor n increasing the compressive strength thereof.

v 22. A carroot comprising roof sheets secured together along their adjacent margins, said roof having hollow ribs alternating with channels, the distance between the tops of said ribs and the bottoms of said channelsv being such that the roof will act las a beam,

and reinforcingmembers located within and` rigidly secured to the undersides of said hollow ribs, said reinforcing members being located near the middle of said hollow ribs.

Signed at New Kensington, Pennsylvania, this 23rd day of February, 1931. 1

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL. 

